How are African -Americans Represented on the Screen and in the Media - Essay Example

Topic: How are African -Americans represented on the screen and in the media? Media and movies have a powerful influence in shaping identity of communities inn America. The identity of black community and their attitude concerning social reality was always formed by the representation of them in movies and media…

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African Americans have achieved prominence in many fields in American, still the media for racial and psycho – political reasons; have historically failed to project a balanced perspective of the Black experience. Mainstream media has systematically under – represented African Americans in genre outside sports, music and comedy and over represented Blacks as criminal or indigents. It shows that Blacks are takers and burden for the society. The news media of America rarely publicize Black’s contribution to American serious business, making their image appear that of an irresponsible community. Television news tend to illustrate welfare and poverty by portraying urban Black rather than rural whites. As per (Entman 59)“In its reporting on poverty, television paints a Bosch- like – landscape of social disruption and danger in which the principal actors, mainly Black, are visually associated with poverty as threat”. In earlier movies, African Americans were depicted as slaves and servants. Politically Blacks are depicted as sources of disruption, as victims, or as complaining supplicants. American belief about Black is based on what they observe in movies, television, dramas, newspaper, radio and other medias. Sadly, media elites may have some incentive to represent Black in negative terms. They want to appeal white and to entertain them showing their privilege and white dominion in the society. In his book (Covington 98)writes that ,“Across a whole range of media, the Black people are held responsible for their won poverty and violence because their under value class cause their self – defeating behaviors”. Even the black women characters in many films get implicated in the violence of males, especially the black single mothers who raise their sons alone. Films depict black single mothers as incapable of raising children, thereby blaming them for the poverty and violence that pervades underclass communities. Movies represent black women as hedonistic and oversexed and routinely cast them as drug addicts and prostitutes. Clearly crime also has increasingly become a way to talk about race differences in Hollywood, political campaigns and news media. In his journal (Balkaran ) mentions that ,“ As a result of the overwhelming media focus on crime, drug use, gang violence, and other forms of anti-social behavior among African-Americans, the media have fostered a distorted and pernicious public perception of African-Americans”. Black males are constantly portrayed as dangerous and assaulting and killing each other in gang fights or brawls as a way of achieving manhood. Black woman also have long been represented as masculinized in media and films. As per (Murarka) “African Americans portrayals in the media are often times based on negative stereotypes they do not accurately portray reality”. According to (Hall 90)“Media has portrayed African American men as violent, menacing, and dangerous, often time having very dark skin and overly exaggerated”. This is kind of color representation of African males enhances negative evaluation on all the African American males. The media and films have always socially alienated African Americans throughout American history. Media consistently shows Black American youth as gang bangers, drug dealers, misogynists and gold wearing criminal misfits. In 1980s television
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...in the manner in which the study will be conducted especially in the collection of data (Singh, 2008). The accuracy and validity of findings will also be achieved through the implementation of primary research method. Secondary research method will also be applied within the proposed study. This method involves the collection and analysis of data from secondary sources as reported by previous research (Kothari, 2009). The secondary methodology within the proposed investigation will be focused on previous data on hypertension among AfricanAmericans. More specifically, secondary data on the genetic factor and how it could be correlated to the high incidence of hypertension among...

...people get too sick, extermination was the only way. Throwing the bodies—overboard—and then dousing the tween decks with vinegar were their remedies. When he was sold at auction, they were all lined up like cattle and greased like pigs. Now, with the Georgia Secession Convention of 1861 and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in December, I am hoping to finally experience what it's like to be free and to have a life of my own. I look forward to raising a family where I can tell my children they can play anywhere they want and not be afraid of being seen, where I can teach them a fusion of the best of American and African cultures. Although during these tumultuous times,...

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Conclusion
As a matter of facts, the conflict between these two groups is doing no good to American people. The American governments need to come out and address the issues contributing to these conflicts. It is important to address the root of this problem as there is no any good reason why there should be a conflict between these two groups. Asians and Africans living in America should be educated on the importance to bury their differences so that they can coexist with each other. For this to happen, it is crucial for the two...

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Rosa Parks decline to give up a seat on a bus
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...States included the great second migration. Although it started in 1941, it was a significant all through 1945 to 1970. Africans moved into states like California, where job opportunities were being offered in the defense industry. This movement was in search of employment opportunities and better living conditions. The second event that took place in the United States was the Urban Settlement, where most Africans settled in major cities and towns in the United States.
Primary References
(2014, April). AfricanAmerican History.
History Matters. (2015, January).
Secondary References
King, G. (2012). Devil in the grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the dawn...

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